Latest news with #WētāWorkshop
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Zealand airport's iconic Lord of the Rings giant eagle sculptures to be removed
Wellington Airport in New Zealand will be removing their iconic Tolkien-inspired giant eagle sculptures on May 9. The sculptures were created in 2013 by Wētā Workshop, known for working on props for many movies, including Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The airport announced it will be collaborating with Wētā Workshop once again to replace the displays.
NBC News
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Hobbit-themed eagle sculptures to depart New Zealand airport
For more than a decade, travelers at New Zealand 's Wellington Airport have been greeted by two Hobbit-themed sculptures of giant, hovering eagl es, one of which carried wizard Gandalf. Suspended from the roof by cables, the two towering figures were unveiled in 2013 to promote director Peter Jackson 's Oscar-winning 'Lord of the Rings' and Hobbit films, which were filmed in New Zealand over a period of 15 years. Each eagle weighs more than a ton and has a 50-foot wingspan, with a combined total of 1,000 feathers. The majestic birds originally served as rescuers and fighters in the fantasy adventure films, which are based on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. The pair will say their last goodbye to visitors Friday and 'fly off into the sunset,' making space for a new display, the airport said Monday. The eagles' departure will be 'the end of an era,' Wellington Airport's chief executive Matt Clarke said. 'It's not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport,' Clarke said in a statement. 'But in this case, it will be emotional for us.' Though the sculptures have been a 'huge success' admired by travelers from around the world, it's the 'right time for them to fly the nest,' he added. Some travelers said they were saddened by the birds' departure. 'It breaks my heart,' Verity Johnson told The Associated Press on Monday as she sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court. 'Please reconsider. Please bring them back, make them stay,' she said. Another passenger, Michael Parks, said that taking the eagles away would be 'un-New Zealand.' The two giant eagle sculptures will be disassembled overnight Friday evening and placed into storage. The long-term plans for them are still to be decided. They were made by Wellington-based Wētā Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for Jackson's films, including armor, prosthetics, miniatures and weaponry. One of them fell down when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit New Zealand's North Island in 2014, but no one was injured, according to The New Zealand Herald. The airport is working with Wētā Workshop on a 'unique, locally themed replacement' for the eagles, Clarke said, to be revealed later this year. The magnificent New Zealand scenery showcased in the movies has drawn millions of international tourists, with the airport's eagle sculptures turning into an iconic feature. The films generated more than $770 million in international tourism revenue for New Zealand, contributing to a welfare gain of over $180 million for the country's households, research showed. Another sculpture of Smaug the Magnificent — the great dragon that torments Bilbo Baggins and his fellow travelers — will remain in the check-in area, where it was installed in 2014.
National Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Post
A giant sculpture of Gandalf riding an eagle departs Wellington airport for good
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — For more than a decade, passengers at New Zealand 's Wellington Airport have boarded flights below the figures of two giant, hovering eagles from the Hobbit films, one bearing a bellowing wizard Gandalf. Article content Article content With 50-foot (15-metre) wingspans and weighing 2,600 pounds (1.1 ton) each, the sculptures that hover in the terminal have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful — one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016, and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. Article content But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city's connection to Peter Jackson 's 'Lord of the Rings' and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced Monday. Article content Article content 'It's been quite a Lord of the Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,' said airport chief executive Matt Clarke. 'Now we're looking to change that to something new.' Article content 'It breaks my heart,' said one traveller, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. 'Please, please reconsider.' Article content 'Taking them away is un-New Zealand,' joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. Article content The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Wētā Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson — one of Wellington's best-known residents, who lives on an isthmus near the airport. The movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien 's beloved novels generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of the movies' production. Article content Article content But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson's films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Wētā, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Clarke said. Article content Travellers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Clarke said. He hopes the creatures — which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers — will find a home at a museum. Article content
Vancouver Sun
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
A giant sculpture of Gandalf riding an eagle departs Wellington airport for good
Article content WELLINGTON, New Zealand — For more than a decade, passengers at New Zealand 's Wellington Airport have boarded flights below the figures of two giant, hovering eagles from the Hobbit films, one bearing a bellowing wizard Gandalf. Article content Article content With 50-foot (15-metre) wingspans and weighing 2,600 pounds (1.1 ton) each, the sculptures that hover in the terminal have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful — one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016, and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. Article content Article content But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city's connection to Peter Jackson 's 'Lord of the Rings' and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced Monday. Article content Article content 'It's been quite a Lord of the Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,' said airport chief executive Matt Clarke. 'Now we're looking to change that to something new.' Article content 'It breaks my heart,' said one traveller, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. 'Please, please reconsider.' Article content 'Taking them away is un-New Zealand,' joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. Article content The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Wētā Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson — one of Wellington's best-known residents, who lives on an isthmus near the airport. The movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien 's beloved novels generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of the movies' production. Article content Article content But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson's films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Wētā, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Clarke said. Article content Travellers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Clarke said. He hopes the creatures — which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers — will find a home at a museum.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Huge Gandalf statue to be removed from airport after 12 years of delighting tourists
For over a decade, travellers at Wellington Airport have been greeted by a fantastical sight: two colossal eagles, straight out of the Lord Of The Rings, suspended from the terminal ceiling. One even carries the iconic wizard Gandalf, adding to the magical atmosphere. These impressive sculptures, with wingspans reaching 50 feet and weighing in at over a ton each, have become a beloved fixture since their installation in 2013. While they've delighted countless tourists, they've also been known to startle a few children with their imposing presence. Their tenure was eventful — one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016, and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city's connection to Peter Jackson 's 'Lord of the Rings' and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced Monday. 'It's been quite a Lord of the Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,' said airport chief executive Matt Clarke. 'Now we're looking to change that to something new.' 'It breaks my heart,' said one traveler, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. 'Please, please reconsider.' 'Taking them away is un- New Zealand,' joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. Wellington Airport isn't losing its quirky side. An enormous sculpture of The Hobbit 's gold-hoarding dragon, Smaug, will remain overlooking the check-in counters. The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Wētā Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson -- one of Wellington's best-known residents, who lives on an isthmus near the airport. The movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien 's beloved novels generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of the movies' production. But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson's films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Wētā, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Clarke said. Travelers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Clarke said. He hopes the creatures – which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers – will find a home at a museum. 'It's a spectacular thing for little kids to see,' Clarke said. 'Even your old, grizzled businessmen, they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo too.'
